Monday, March 31, 2008

DIERSEN: Beyond tragically, Illinois newspapers and television stations do everything they can to elect and to reelect Democrats. If in 2003 and 2004 they had trumpeted Obama's affirmation of Wright's hate speech instead of trumpeting Jack Ryan's former wife's charges, not only would Obama not be a presidential candidate now, he would have lost the 2004 U.S. Senate primary. If in 2007 and 2008 they had trumpeted Bill Foster's former wife's charges, not only would Foster not be a congressman now, he would have lost the 2008 congressional primaries.

NEW YORK SUN-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Because Obama is so vehemently anti-Republican, those "Republicans" who support Obama, like Lincoln Chafee, Susan Eisenhower, and Douglas Kmiec, are declaring their anti-Republicanismhttp://www2.nysun.com/article/73913

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Carol Marin talks about the governor this morning in her Sun-Times column. In this story it starts off with the Governor attempting to have a press conference talking home mortgage relief. This was supposed to be about this "positive" story but the reporters who were there had other ideas. There were questions not about home mortgage relief but Tony Rezko.

Rogers kicked off the questioning: Governor, did that conversation happen?

Blago: “Let me answer that question with an answer. I’m not a party in that trial. I’m not following the trial. It would be inappropriate of me to comment on a trial I’m not a part in.”

Rogers tried again: Don’t the people of Illinois deserve to know whether or not those allegedly incriminating conversations took place with Stuart Levine, a person who has pled guilty to a variety of federal charges?

Blago: “I already answered your question. Those characterizations do not characterize how I operate.”

Rich Samuels of WTTW: Did Blagojevich have a conversation on an airplane with Stuart Levine?

Blago: “You know it’s a good question. I’m not a party in that trial. I’m not in a place where I think it’s appropriate to comment on a trial I’m not involved in.”

Then Carlos Hernandez-Gomez of CLTV: Was the governor’s chief of staff Lon Monk clearing decisions through Tony Rezko as Levine has testified?

Blago (taking a noisy sip of water): “Let me answer that question. I’m not a party to that trial.”

Then Phil Rogers once again: What was the governor’s relationship to Tony Rezko and Stuart Levine?

Blago (another noisy sip of water, his eyes peering over the paper cup):

“Look I’ve asked and answered that a million times. You just ought to go back and take a look at your clippings.”

I'd like to have seen that press conference. It's not wonder he's in his "bunker". He don't want to take questions about this case. I don't blame him, but there are some legitimate questions he's avoiding. Surely he can't avoid them forever, but he certainly can's assume that things are all hokey dorey. Marin continues...

All they show us is that since the feds began showering the Blagojevich’s administration with subpoenas three years ago for everything from state hiring practices, to how lucrative pension investment contracts were handed out and to whom, to the governor and his wife’s personal finances, there isn’t a single answer on a single one of those clippings that provides citizens of this state with a clear answer to any question about his conduct or his relationships.

And if the governor is referring to video clips of past news conferences, all you’ll see, time and again, is the governor running for the door. Literally.

So, budding crisis managers, the lesson here is don’t call a news conference unless you can say something that doesn’t insult the intelligence of the public.

If you were reading this column. I tried not to give too much away almost reads like a lesson for both aspiring crisis managaers and aspiring journalists. The lesson for aspiring journalist and I will include in that description citizen journalists is to never stop asking questions.
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Saturday, March 29, 2008

Chicago aldermen ridiculed and condemned a federal hiring monitor on Friday for awarding $75,000 to the son of the City Council's elder statesman as compensation for a 2003 aldermanic election that was stacked against him.

Federal monitor Noelle Brennan believed Stone's claim that he didn't stand a chance against then-Ald. Ted Matlak (32nd) because Matlak had the support of a political army of city workers commanded on city time by now-convicted former First Deputy Water Commissioner Donald Tomczak.

Veteran aldermen begged to differ. They argued that Stone "never stood a chance, period" because he was a lousy candidate.

By giving Stone $75,000, Brennan deprived more worthy applicants of more substantial settlements, the aldermen said. "We've got potholes to fix. We spend $20 million on snow removal, and the federal monitor decides in her infinite wisdom to give somebody $75,000 because they lost an election? Can I sign up for that program?" said Ald. Tom Allen (38th).

Has Jay Stone ever worked for the city? Should he get a settlement from the city only because he had to face a ward political machine mostly manned by city workers? And why aren't the aldermen trying to go after the corruption that is a cause & effect of rigging city hiring?

I haven't read that Mr. Stone ever worked for the city. Stone surely should not have gotten a settlement for only being a political candidate facing a political machine of city workers. Hopefully someone can provide an answer for the third question I posed, because the best I can do is that the aldermen on Chicago's city council aren't willing to tackle this issue.

Many of the aldermen are correct in opposing this. Indeed a lot of Aldermen are correct that this money could go towards providing services to Chicago residents. Still if the city is tired of these payouts, I wish they could address the underlying causes.
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On Saturday, March 29, turn out your lights to show your support and commitment toward taking action to combat climate change. Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia in 2007 and this year cities across the globe, such as Tel Aviv, Bangkok and Copenhagen, are taking action. The City of Chicago is partnering with World Wildlife Fund as the U.S. flagship city for Earth Hour.

This year's effort has been receiving a tremendous amount of press, so it should be interesting to see how the response turns out to be. I was thinking about live-blogging the event, but it seemed kind of paradoxical (not to mention boring).

So tonight, grab a candle and a book and relax old-school style (really old-school).

When: Saturday, March 29

Time: 8:00p.m. - 9:00p.m.

What: Turn out your lights in support of taking actions to combat climate change

Friday, March 28, 2008

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected to host a series of leaders’ meetings at the executive mansion in Springfield starting April 10, according to a letter from former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard. The March 25th letter is addressed to all four top legislative leaders.

Republican Hastert and Democrat Poshard are co-chairing the governor’s coalition to promote his $25 billion capital program, called Illinois Works, and it seems as though they could serve as a much-needed buffer between the governor and the legislative leaders in what’s sure to be a contentious debate about financing the plan.

It’s hard to get excited about that debate. It seems as though Statehouse insiders still feel hung over from last year’s political stalemate, turmoil, disgrace — whatever you want to call it. The situation begs the question of how today’s capital debate differs from 1999, when then-Gov. George Ryan worked with the legislature to approve the last major capital plan in Illinois. That same year, they earmarked 51 percent of the state’s general funds for education and rewrote the state’s gaming law to allow a docked casino in Cook County.

Why could leaders of opposing political parties accomplish all that when today’s Democratically controlled legislature and executive branch have a hard time even meeting in the same room? Personalities, for one. Republican and former Sen. James “Pate” Phillip led the Senate in 1999. The current House Speaker, Michael Madigan, controlled the House then, too. But Madigan and Blagojevich drastically differ in personalities and leadership styles (see our March cover story). It also should be noted that the context of the 1999 debate was a much better economy with higher-than-expected revenues. Today’s revenue picture is much gloomier.

But Ryan himself was quoted as saying in Illinois Issues magazine that working with the legislature was the key. “That’s what government’s about, sitting down to negotiate your differences,” he said in our own Charlie Wheeler column in 1999. “I worked hard for people to cooperate, to make sure we got done what had to be done.”

Stay tuned next week when the legislature will spring back into action after a two-week break. The Capital Development Board will testify about a capital bill during a House committee at the same time Rep. Jack Franks, a Woodstock Democrat, is scheduled to hold a hearing about the governor's $1 million promise to the private Loop Lab School.

A new report by the Center for Justice & Democracy champions some of our country’s most important public advocates, the state Attorneys General (AGs). The study focuses on the state AG’s role in targeting corrupt and harmful business practices on behalf of state consumers. Our very own Lisa Madigan and her involvement in several federal lawsuits are highlighted. We at Illinois Deserves the Truth have applauded many actions her office has taken to protect Illinoisans and hold wrongdoers accountable.

"We tend to take for granted the important and sometimes understated work of state Attorneys General."

Madigan’s work isn't just undervalued, though. State AGs across the country are under attack by corporate special interests.

“A stealth corporate campaign is underway to keep them from accomplishing their job, both by treating with contempt their pro-consumer cases and by attacking their use of outside counsel, which AG's seek out to better protect consumers while saving taxpayers money. If these business groups are successful and prevent AGas from doing their job, the difference could means hundreds of millions of lost reimbursements for states due to corporate wrongdoing, not to mention countless lives."

This study just reminds us of the importance of public advocates like Madigan. State AGs and the private counsel helping them do all Illinoisans a service by exposing corporate wrongdoing.

Earlier this week we learned that the Governor’s Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes is currently member-less and inactive. What a pity, since another story from this week makes it clear that someone needs to re-examine the issue of hate crimes and make some sense out of it:

A St. Charles East High School student was in a Kane County courtroom Tuesday, accused of scrawling a racial epithet in his former girlfriend's locker in what his attorney called a teenage spat gone awry.

The 14-year-old boy, who is white, also is charged with creating an Internet image of a black man being lynched and sharing it with other students in the computer lab at St. Charles East.

The boy is facing felony charges that could put him in prison until he is 21.

What really blows my mind about this episode is that the school is planning to “design an education program to emphasize racial tolerance and understanding.” Forget, for a moment, that this boy was, presumably, racially tolerant and understanding enough to be in an inter-racial relationship in the first place. But consider the cognitive dissonance of expecting that he should know better (as the stiff punishment he now faces implies), while recognizing that there is a need to educate the rest of his classmates about this.

Seems to me that we are either holding him to a different standard, or the school is wasting time addressing an issue his classmates should also already be expected to understand.
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They should--unless you're under 21 and hanging out in MySpace.Com, Facebook and the other kiddie social networking Web sites. That's where the liquor companies are plugging both their non-alcoholic energy drinks and their booze-addled cousins in virtually indistinguishable containers.

These hip, happenin', color-streaked containers and their itzy-bitzy, microscopic warning labels fool convenience store clerks, cops, and parents alike. Of course, which is the point.

Steans' legislation, SB 2472, proscribes the size, placement, etc. of alcohol content warning labels. The Senate Executive Committee approved the measure, 9-2, on March 12, but Steans is holding the bill on 2nd reading, because, of course, the deep-pocketed liquor companies have their knickers in a knot. They fear--expense. Egads.

But Steans and the advocates have a powerful ally--Illinois Attorney Lisa Madigan. A few weeks ago, Madigan stuck her neck out and told the Springfield State Journal-Register that the alcoholic energy drinks should be banned altogether. Kapow!

State Sens. Mattie Hunter, Maggie Crotty, Lou Viverito, Christine Radogno, Jacqueline Collins, Susan Garrett and Iris Martinez have joined as legislative co-sponsors. And had he wanted, State Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) could have rubbed out the bill. He didn't.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

So here I was, all ready to give the CTA kudos for a good green initiative - and they had to shoot themselves in their mass transit foot.

First, the good news. The CTA had the foresight to purchase a new Big Belly Solar Compactor. According to the BigBelly website, the new high-tech trash can is a:

“compacting trash receptacle that is completely self-powered. Instead of requiring a grid connection, BigBelly uses solar power for 100% of its energy needs. The unit takes up as much space as the "footprint" of an ordinary receptacle—but its capacity is five times greater. Increased capacity reduces collection trips and can cut fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by 80%. BigBelly also provides cost efficiencies from labor savings, fuel cost and maintenance savings, as well as environmental benefits from reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. Safe, easy to use, and designed to keep out pests, the BigBelly has already proven its worth in urban streets, parks, colleges, arenas—and in all weather conditions.”

So far, so good, right? A spiffy-looking trash can, with a big fat solar panel on top, that will help keep stations cleaner and be environmentally friendly at the same time.

What could be wrong with that?

Well nothing, except for the fact that this solar-powered uber-trash can is located at the underground Red Line State/Lake subway station.

Sure, the Lake street station has been spiffed up, with more fluorescent lighting added in recent months, but someone should tell the CTA that the sun don’t shine 30 feet under the intersection of State and Lake.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

So far they haven't posted this vid on YouTube yet, but I just want to share this. FuzzyMemories had video from 1981 discussing the sale of the Chicago Cube to the Tribune Company. Appropriate to look at this history as in 2008 the Cubs are on the auction block. Also we're looking at whether or not the Cubs might have to play at US Cellular Field whenever Wrigley Field is sold to the state and renovated. Oh and I should also add that the new Tribune owner, Sam Zell, is floating the idea of selling naming rights for Wrigely Field.

And after the Cubs story apparently the Chicago Public Schools had money problems and this wouldn't allow for the schools to open on time. Well don't ask me what happened with that history I have no idea. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

Beyond that story there's the US selling arms to China. President Reagan goes after the Democratic Congress for attempting to undercut his economic program. And they show video of his press conference where he discusses possibly running for re-election. They also mentioned the assasination attempt in addition to news about Reagan's press secretary James Brady who was shot in this episode. The Reagan White House said they wouldn't issue anymore bulletins about Brady. They also teased a story about John Cardinal Cody being in the hospital and flooding in Northwest Indiana and the south suburbs.

The former Dominick's grocery store on the left employs no one. Just as the vacant lot at 83rd and Stewart on Chicago's South Side doesn't have anyone on its payroll.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest corporation, wants to build a store at 83rd and Stewart, and help revitalize an area that has few if any large grocery stores--a "food desert."

And some people want to keep it that way.

The Chicago Tribune, free registration may be required for the link, has an editorial today that about that lot. It's part of the Chatham Market redevelopment plan, and a clause in that plan calls for Chicago City Council approval for any store selling groceries with over 100,000 square feet. Two years ago, the council passed an ordinance, which was vetoed by Mayor Richard Daley, that would've forced any store with over 100,000 square feet of retail space, a "Big Box," to pay its workers more than smaller retailers. If that bill had becoome law, it would've been a disaster for Chicagoans. Fewer jobs, higher prices for goods.

From the Tribune editorial:

Despite the size trigger in the Chatham Market development and the now-defunct Big Box ordinance, this controversy has always been more about what's on the shelves than how many shelves there are. Wal-Mart is the nation's largest retailer—and the nation's largest grocer. Organized labor is determined to protect its unionized ranks at area Jewel and Dominick's grocery stores. That means it's determined to keep Wal-Mart and its big grocery departments out of Chicago.

The city's latest rejection may not be the last turn of this wheel. Wal-Mart hasn't given up and neither has Ald. Howard Brookins (21st), who represents this area and knows how eager his constituents are for the hundreds of jobs and shopping convenience Wal-Mart would bring. But making this happen requires political courage from the mayor and from aldermen not beholden to labor. And there isn't much evidence of that.

The original developers of Chatham Market, Monroe Investment Partners LLC, vowed four years ago that "Wal-Mart is not now, and will not be, a part of our development." They might have added: A vacant lot is so much better.

Meanwhile, the food desert problem persists in Chicago and other large cities. The City of Chicago is aware of the problem, and as I noted in the related post, they are working to recruit medium-sized grocers (that means not Wal-Mart or Target) into the deserts.

This afternoon, Bill Moller, subbing for regular WGN-Radio mid-day host John Williams, interviewed Frank Dal Bello of Kensington Research and Recovery, a Chicago-based firm. Eight days ago I related my experience with an overpayment we made to the Cook County Treasurer's Office. Maria Pappas is the Cook County treasurer. We received an official, scary looking property tax bill from the county, in the name of our home's previous owner, which we paid. Like most people these days, our property tax bill is included in our mortgage payment. As I explained in that post, it was a struggle to get our money back.

Dal Bello reiterated what I wrote last week, "If the county was doing its job, there would be no need for (Kensington) to exist."

That sounds like the Cook County I know. Along those same lines, no one from the treasurer's office bothered to appear with Dal Bello and Moller.

About Kensington: Like the better known Keane Tracers, Kensington searches public records to find unclaimed monies. While searching Cook County records, it finds overpayments and double-payments. They inform the individuals who've overpaid, and the offer to get their cash back--Kensington keeps half.

This is important: After five years, if the overpayers do not collect their money, the county keeps it, Dal Bello added that "there is no recourse to recover this money" after that time has passed. Dal Bello believes that "roughly $20 million is kept by the county."

Yes, it may not seem fair that Kensington keeps half of the money they find as its commission. But as I stated in my post last week, and Dal Bello reiterated it, many people instead head to the Cook County Treasurer's web site, or call a special telephone number and begin the process, a difficult one I'd like to add, of getting their money back. But not everyone has internet access.

A bill in the Illinois General Assembly will limit fees companies like Kensington can charge to just a 10 percent cut. Fair? Perhaps. But it will put Kensington out of business. And it may mean the county, which just raised upped its sales tax levy by one percent, will keep even more money.

Kensington's Dal Bello believes that of Illinois' 102 counties, Cook is the only one that doesn't automatically inform taxpayers that they've paid too much.

County officials told WGN's Moller, off-air, that because of the enormity of Cook's population, over 5.3 million people, that it's too difficult to do.

But would an earnest effort by Maria Pappas' office cost more than $20 million? Or $1 million? The government, and I may be naïve on this point, is supposed to exist to serve the people--not the other way around.

(Chicago, IL) -- Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) is organizing 19 regional budget hearings on this year's state spending plan, and State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), right, chaired one such hearing in her district on Monday and was struck dumb by the multi-million dollar requests from social service providers despite an empty state treasury.

Hamos and State Rep. Lisa Dugan (D-Kankakee), who also chaired a budget hearing in Kankakee, appeared on WBEZ's 848 program, hosted by Gabriel Spitzer, to discuss their findings.

During the program, Hamos expressed dismay at providers' unrealistic budget requests totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, and Dugan expressed annoyance that Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office held a hearing earlier in the day to compete with Dugan's and later handed out brochures during her hearing to undercut the event.

The lawmakers also poured iced, cold water on the Governor's billion dollar tax credit initiatives, saying those too are unrealistic when the cupboard is bare.

They conveyed a deep foreboding on a likelihood of a swift budget resolution this year, noting budget talks have yet even to begin. Not pretty.

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